JANUARY 2005

ARTS & LIFE

ART

Exhibition showcases art by USU faculty
The Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art begins the new year with the USU department of art Faculty Exhibition 2005, featuring artworks by the 18 studio faculty. A reception recognizing the artists and exhibition will be at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 20 a the museum.

CULTURE

'Why not bring more Indians?' Why not, indeed, as Little India blossoms in Logan
Some call it Little India. The city block in Logan near 700 East and 900 North, near the Utah State University campus, looks like any other student neighborhood. There are apartment complexes, small houses and the occasional bicycle lying on the ground. / By Tyler Riggs

Magic: the Gathering is spreading around the world
Jason Porter has a collection of more than 35,000 Magic: the Gathering cards that he proudly claims is the biggest collection in Logan and one of the biggest in the state. / By Seth Quillen

FEATURES

Charter school targets students' needs, has high expectations
Many parents in Cache Valley have found their schools do not meet the needs of their children, many of these parents have turned to Thomas Edison Charter School. / By Diana Taylor

Two decades of service distinguish Loye Martindale's life
Loye Martindale's middle name is community service. Or at least it should be. The walls and shelves of his condominium in Logan are covered with plaques, certificates and awards that Martindale has collected since he moved to Logan in 1983. / By Michelle Bundy

Ninety-year-old woman stays energetic, even after three husbands
Just five days shy of her 90th birthday, Carmen Boss explains how she outlived her three husbands. / By Megan Roe

Longtime valley resident helped create businesses that spurred growth
Jon White remembers Cache Valley before McDonald's came to town. "When I was growing up we always wanted to go to Salt lake to go to McDonald's," said White, 56. / By Diana Taylor

Making the most of a coin flip, and the city's top job, in Millville
Two-hundred-meter and 400-meter world record holder Michael Johnson and Millville mayor Michael Johnson have more in common than just the same name. Both have, through hard work, dedication and determination, tried to be the best they can. / By Chris Calvert

'I was just so bitter, bitter, bitter': 15 years of sobriety, one day at a time
It's Les' birthday. He has 15 years. Fifteen years of truth, 15 years of honesty and 15 years of sobriety, the longest span of sobriety in his entire life. It has been exactly 15 years since he crawled into those meetings beaten, broken and in despair and 15 years since he surrendered himself to a higher power. / By Denise Albiston

The heck with insanity -- just plead pregnancy
Pleading insanity apparently excuses offenders from their moral and social responsibilities. / By Brandon Taylor

MOVIES

Film series continues at USU
The Utah State University Museum of Anthropology and Cache MicroCinema present On Cannibalism by artist and filmmaker Fatimah Tobing Rony at 4:30 p.m, Feb. 3, in Old Main Room 115.

USU Film Club Festival stuns organizers with turnout of 3,000
This year Utah State University's Film Club Festival was bigger and better than ever, according to festival organizer Morgan Yost. / By Tamber Weston

Finding 'The Patriot' in my Egyptian soul
Being the only foreign-raised child and half-breed American in my circle of friends, I was encouraged to watch the movie The Patriot. After being told that it would make me appreciate more what my American forefather went through to create this great country, I borrowed the movie from a friend. / By Sarah Ali

WILD ART

People-watching at Sundance: Photos by Jared Ocana

Photos of the St. George flooding, by Jill Prichard

BUSINESS

L.D. measures his life and business by friends and family
"I've saved lives and broken up barroom brawls," he said. "We have had people have heart attacks right here in the restaurant," he said pointing to an area on the floor. / By Nick Robbins

A TSA baggage screener explains it all for you
Dustin Olson, 25, entered the Salt Lake City Airport on Nov. 23 to fly home in time for Thanksgiving. He checked his luggage at the ticket counter, with the exception of his carry-on. / By Julie Oliver

Rising costs leave dairy farmer pessimistic about future for the little guy
To Cleve Gibbons, it's easier to deal with cows than with people. "I can sell a cow if I don't like 'em," the dairy farmer joked while sitting at his kitchen table. Gibbons likes cows for a reason. His only source of income depends on milk from those cows. The problem is, he believes that income won't last for more than 20 years. / By Megan Roe

Lynn's Audio Video gets home theater
Things look different at Lynn's Audio Video in Logan. Since May, owner Bret Hancey and employees have been busy remodeling the place. "After 17 years it [the look] became stale," said Hancey. "We wanted a high-tech look." / By Tamber Weston

NEWS

ACROSS BRIDGERLAND

Binge drinking less a problem at USU than other schools, but numbers still significant
By the time 19-year-old Samantha Spady went to sleep in an unused storage room in the University of Colorado's Sigma Phi fraternity house, she had been drinking, heavily, for more than 11 hours. Sam had over 40 drinks of beer, tequila shots, and vanilla vodka. / By Nick Robbins

Back to school? Decision's tough for adults out of classroom for a long time
The college classroom is filling up with people of all ages, as non-traditional students are becoming more a part of higher education. / By Kelli Dodgen

Utah State launches 'Wave of Relief' Fundraising Campaign, schedules tsunami memorial
The Wave of Relief committee, which consists of students and staff, asks members of the Utah State University community to consider donating one hour's wage to the relief effort.

Candlelight vigil observes struggles in society are not over
"We need to keep educating people and letting them know that the struggle isn’t over, that it’s really just beginning," Mayweather said. "We’ve come along way, but there are still tons of things that could be changed for the better." / By Megan Roe

Stan's the man: Albrecht named USU president, vows a focus on students
Provost and Executive Vice President Stan Albrecht was named the next president of Utah State University at a Tuesday press conference in the Taggart Student Center. He will replace Kermit L. Hall on Feb. 1. Albrecht said he will never forget that "our students are the reason we are here" and said his first meeting will be with students. / By the Hard News Cafe

Decades-long break in education? No problem for a growing number of USU students
Like many college students, Utah State University dietetics major Debbie Christofferson is usually awake at 3 a.m. She isn't attending parties or wrapping up a late night movie-fest, though. In fact, she's just getting out of bed. For Christofferson, a 50-year-old mother of four, these early morning hours are her only chance to study. / By Lynze Wardle

MacArthur 'genius' to lecture on Western history
"Irony, Tragedy and Hope in American Western History" is the topic of a public lecture by Patricia Nelson Limerick Wednesday evening at the Logan LDS Tabernacle.

LOCAL NEWS

Smithfield considers its own TV channel
Smithfield may have its own television channel if Cisco Digital Media finds sufficient sponsorship within the community, the City Council decided Wednesday night. / By Ash Schiller

100 East transportation corridor not popular in River Heights
"We're a tiny city, but we have all the problems of a big city," Treasurer Annette Smith said Tuesday in River Heights' City Council meeting. The council discussed Logan's plan for a south-Logan-to-Providence transportation corridor at 100 East. / By Lindsay Kite

Lower utility bills? Nibley considers decreasing sewer charges
The highest sewer fees in the valley might be coming down in the soon. The Nibley City Council, at their meeting Thursday Jan. 20, discussed lowering the sewer fees to between $29 and $33 monthly. The drop would be a savings of between $6 and $10 a month for homeowners. / By Kevin Nielsen

OPINION

An Aggie's letter from Iraq No. 11: Baghdad streets on election day like an old 'Twilight Zone' episode
The streets that are normally jammed, bumper-to-bumper, are on this day vacant and the air still. Aside from us, the only other sign of life was the Iraqi Army positioned near the 3rd ID bridge, directly across the river from yesterday's attack on the International Zone. / By David J. Jenkins

Sundance, the other Hollywood, an adventure of sights and sounds
During the Sundance Film Festival, anyone who is anybody in Hollywood, is in Park City, Utah. They are here for the annual festival touting the independent film industry's wares and the hopes of every film producer, executive and potential Oscar winner. / By Trevor Brasfield

'The O.C.' blurs the line between fantasy and reality
The show transforms silly average teenagers in personalities just because they live in one of the richest counties in the country. What do those people have to offer to the viewers? / By Ana Antunes

Back to Brazil with memories of big eaters, big cars, and big-time winters
is wasn't my first time in the United States; I've been here many times before, never alone though. It was also the first time that I would ever live outside of my home and my country. Of course I was a little scared -- different culture, different language, different weather. But I was also very excited. My whole life I wanted to come live in America. / By Ana Antunes

An Aggie's letter from Iraq No. 10: Some thoughts about prayer after a blast kills 9
The last couple days, as I have mentioned to some, have been quite tumultuous. The VBIEDs (vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices) are getting closer to our front gate, although not directed at us. The resounding concussions of blast and twisted metal are becoming more frequent as we approach the dates for the electoral process in Baghdad. / By David J. Jenkins

Why the president shouldn't be the commander-in -chief
To call President Bush "militarily inexperienced" would be to give the onetime below-average pilot for the Texas Air National Guard, whose military service continues to be the subject of coffee-table conversation, too much credit. / By Leon D'Souza

An Aggie's letter from Iraq No. 9: Rumors of where we go from here
In my search for the ever elusive sergeant's stripes, I am faced with one last hurdle (I hope) and that is to pass a Physical Fitness Test: push-ups, sit-ups and a two-mile run. / By David J. Jenkins

Scars of divorce on children never go away
I turn on the television and I see reality show after reality show that plays fun at one of the most important and sacred bond between two people: marriage. / By Whitney Russler

Stop treating fat people like second-class citizens
At a recent trip to Lagoon a certain situation caught my attention. A mother and son were in line to get on a ride. The mother strapped her son into the ride and realized that she was too big to ride. / By Camille Blake

Booting cars not merely annoying, it puts people's safety at risk
"We are being extorted," says Quinn Bingham, student at Utah State University. "Booters are performing an illegal seizure of your property and extorting you for your well earned money." / By Dane Bergeson

An Aggie's letter from Iraq No. 8: Tracers light the sky, but we've survived the holidays
New Year's Eve was a sight to see. A few of us went up on the roof of our building to watch the new year come upon us. To the east, north and right outside our fence to the South, we could see the steady stream of tracer rounds light up the blue-black sky. Shots of light, like fireflies, dancing into the darkness, giving the path of fire for the small arms rounds. / By David J. Jenkins

A vigorous defense for Mr. Hussein -- or, what the lawyer might say
There remains, contrary to the opinion of the United States, plenty of disagreement over exactly what happened during that unfortunate phase of the Iran-Iraq war. / By Leon D'Souza

SPORTS

Aggie women shoot 8 percent in first half, fall to Long Beach
The 49ers had a 23-0 run to open the game, the Aggies were unable to score any points until a free-throw by Camille Brox with 5:15 remaining in the first half. / By Jerome le Carrou

Freeman scores 20 as the Aggies beat UCI, improve to 10-7
Jessica Freeman led the Aggies with a career-high 20 points in a 71-68 victory Thursday night in the Spectrum against the UC Irvine Anteaters. / By Jerome le Carrou

Snowboarding spreads beyond its rebel roots
hucking: throwing oneself wildly through the air but not landing on one's feet
kicker: To build your own jump. "We built a sick kicker in the back country" / By Diana Taylor

USU women's basketball team beats Northridge, goes above .500 in conference
Ali Aird led the Aggies with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in a 61-57 victory Saturday night in the Spectrum against the Cal State Northridge Matadors. / By Jerome Le Carrou